Abstract
There is now increasing interest in the possibility that exposure to static or extremely low frequency (ELF: 0–300 Hz; including 50 and 60-Hz powerline frequencies) electric and magnetic fields are associated with increased risk for certain cancers (Savitz and Calle, 1987), emotional depression (Perry and Pearl, 1988; Wilson, 1988), and changes in reproductive function and development (Wertheimer and Leeper, 1986). It now appears possible that EMF-induced changes in pineal gland function may account wholly, or in part, for these effects. We present here a discussion of this hypothesis.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Adey, W.R., Bors, E., Porter, R.W. (1968): EEG sleep patterns after high cervical lesions in man. Arch Neurol 19: 377–383
Anderson, L.E. (1985): Interactions of ELF electric and magnetic fields with the neural and neuroendocrine systems In: Biological and Human Health Effects of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields. Arlington, VA: American Institute of Biological Sciences Graves, H.B., ed.
Anderson, L.E. (1990): Interaction of electric and magnetic fields with neural and neuro-endocrine systems In: Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields: The Question of Cancer, Wilson, B.W., Stevens, R.G., Anderson, L.E., eds. Columbus, OH: Battelle Press.
Angeli, A., Gatti, G., Sartori, M.L., DelPonte, D., Garagnola, R. (1988): Effect of exogenous melatonin on human natural killer (NK) cell activity: An approach to the immunomodulatory role of the pineal gland. In: The Pineal Gland and Cancer, Gupta, D., Attanasio, A., Reiter, R., eds. London: Brain Research Promotion.
Axelrod, J., Weissbach, H. (1960): Enzymatic 0-methylation of N-acetylserotonin to melatonin. Science 131: 1312.
Barlow, H.B., Kohn, H.I., Walsh, E.G. (1947): Visual sensations aroused by magnetic fields. Am J Physiol 148: 372.
Bartsch, C., Bartsch, H., Jain, A.K., Laumas, K.R., Wetterberg, L. (1981): Urinary melatonin levels in human breast cancer patients. J Neural Transm 52: 281.
Bartsch, C., Bartsch, H., Fluchter, S.H., Attanasio, A., Das Gupta, T. (1988): Evidence for a modulation of melatonin secretion in men with benign and malignant tumors of the prostate: Relationship with pituitary hormones. J Pineal Res 2: 121.
Beck-Friis, J., Kjellman, B.F., Aperia, B., Unden, F., Von Rosen, D., Ljunggren, J.-G., Wetterberg, L. (1985): Serum melatonin in relation to clinical variables in patients with major depressive disorder and a hypothesis of a low melatonin syndrome. Acta Psychiatr Scand 71 (4): 319–330
Blackman, C.F. (1990): ELF effects on calcium homeostasis. In: Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields: The Question of Cancer, Wilson, B.W., Stevens, R.G., Anderson, L.E., eds. Columbus, OH: Battelle Press.
Blask, D.E. (1984): The pineal: An oncostatic gland? In: The Pineal Gland, Reiter, R.J., ed. New York: Raven Press.
Blask, D., Hill, S. (1986): Effects of melatonin on cancer: Studies on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in culture. J Neural Transm 21 (Suppl): 433–449
Bojkowski, C.J., Arendt, J. (1988): Annual changes in 6-sulfatoxymelatonin in man. Acta Endocrinol (Copenh) 117: 470–476
Bostelmann, W., Gocke, H., Ernst, B., Tesmann, D. (1971): Der einfluss einer melatonin behandlung auf des wachstum des walker carcinosarcoma der ratte. Z Allg Pathol 114: 289
Bowers, C.W., Baldwin, C., Zigmond, R.E. (1984): Sympathetic reinnervation of the pineal gland after postganglionic nerve lesion does not restore normal pineal function. J Neurosci 4: 2010–2015
Branchey, L., Weinberg, U., Branchey, M., Linkowski, P., Mendlewicz, J. (1982): Simultaneous study of 24 hour patters of melatonin and cortisol secretion in depressed patients Neuropsychobiology 8 (5): 255–232
Brown, R.P., Kocsis, J.H., Caroff, S., Amsterdam, J., Winokur, A., Stokes, P., Frazer, A. (1987): Depressed mood and reality disturbance correlate with decreased nocturnal melatonin in depressed patients. Acta Psychiatr Scand 76: 272–275
Bubinik, G.A., Purtill, R.A. (1980): The role of melatonin and dopamine in retinal physiology. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 58: 1457–1462
Buzzell, G.R., Amerongon, H.M., Toma, J.G. (1988): Melatonin and the growth of Dunning R3327 rat prostatic adenocarcinoma. In: The Pineal Gland and Cancer, Gupta, D., Attanasio, A., Reiter, R.J., eds. London: Brain Research Promotion.
Claustrat, B., Chazot, G., Brun, J., Jordan, D., Sassolas, G. (1984): A chronobiological study of melatonin and cortisol secretion in depressed subjects: Plasma melatonin, a biochemical marker in major depression. Biol Psychiatry 19 (8): 1215–1228
Cohen, M., Lippman, M., Chabner, B. (1978): Role of pineal gland in etiology and treatment of breast cancer. Lancet 2: 814–816
Cook, M.R., Graham, C., Cohen, H.D., Garkovish, M.M. (1990): Effects of 60 Hz fields on human cardiac activity: Review and integration. In: Proc. 12th Annual Meeting of the Biolelectromagnetics Society, June 10–14, 1990, San Antonio, TX
Cotman, C.W., Brinton, R.E., Galabruda, A., McEwen, B., Schneider, D.M., eds. (1987): The Neuro-Immune-Endocrine Connection. New York, Raven Press
Creim, J.A., Lovely, R.H., Miller, D.L., Anderson, L.E. (1990): Assessment of rat’s behavior in a radial arm maze during exposure to magnetic fields. In: Proc. 12th Annual Meeting Abstracts, June 10–14, 1990, San Antonio, TX
Danforth, D., Tamarkin, L., Chabner, B., Demoss, E., Lichter, A., Lippman, M. (1982): Altered diurnal secretory pattern of melatonin in patients with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. Clin Res 30 (2): 532A
d’Arsonval, A. (1896): Dispositifs pour la mesure des courants alternatifs a toutes frequences. Compi rend Soc Biol 3: 451
Das Gupta, T.K., Terz, J. (1967): Influence of the pineal gland on growth and spread of melanonia in the hamster. Cancer Res 27: 1306
Demers, P., Thomas, D.B., et al. (1990) Occupational exposure to electromagnetic radiation and breast cancer in males (abstract). Presented at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Society for Epidemiologic Research, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, UT, June 15, 1990
El-Domeiri, A.A.H., Das Gupta, T.K. (1973): Reversal by melatonin of the effect of pinealectomy on tumor growth. Cancer Res 33: 2280
Glass, A.G., Hoover, R.N. (1990): Rising incidence of breast cancer: Relationship to stage and receptor status. J Natl Cancer Inst 82: 693–696
Graham, C., Cohen, H.D., Cook, M.R., Gerkovich, M.M., Phelps, J.W., Riffle, D.W. (1988): Effects of intermittent exposure to 60 Hz field effects on human cardiac activity. In Proc. 10th Annual Bioelectromagnetics Society Meeting. Stamford, CT, June 1988. Bioelectromagnetics Society Fredrick, MD.
Groh, K.H., Readey, M.A., Ehret, C.F. (1990): Chronobiological effects of electric fields.
B.W., Stevens, R.G., Anderson, L.E., eds.Columbus, OH: Battelle Press Hahn, R.A. Profound bilateral blindness and the incidence of breast cancer. (in preparation)
Hariharasabramanian, N., Nair, N.P.V., Pilapil, C. (1985): Circadian rhythm of plasma melatonin and cortisol during the menstrual cycle. In: The Pineal Gland: Endocrine Aspects, Brown, G.M., Wainwright, S.D., eds. New York: Pergamon Press
Kaune, W.T., Stevens, R.G., Callahan, N.J., Severson, R.K., Thomas, D.B. (1987): Residential magnetic and electric fields. Bioelectromagnetics 8: 315–335
Kneisley, LW, Maskowitz, M.A., Lynch, H.J. (1978): Cervical spinal lesions disrupt the rhythm in human melatonin excretion. J Neural Transm 13 (Suppl): 311–323
Krause, K.G., Cremer-Bartels, G., Mitoskas, G. (1985): Effects of low magnetic field on human and avian retina. In: The Pineal Gland: Endocrine Aspects, Brown, G.M., Wainwright, S.D., eds. New York: Pergamon Press
Kripke, D.F., Mullaney, D.J., Atkinson, M., Wolf, S. (1978): Circadian rhythm disorders in manic depressives. Biol Psychiatry 13: 135–351
Kupfer, D.J., Foster, F.G., Cable, P., McPortland, R.J., Akrich, R.F. (1978): The application of EEG sleep for differential diagnosis of affective disorders. Am J Psychiatry 125: 64–74
Leone, A.M., Silman, R.E., Hill, B.T., Whelan, R.D.H., Shellard, S.A. (1988): Growth inhibitory effects of melatonin and its metabolites against ovarian tumor cell lines in vitro. In: The Pineal Gland and Cancer, Gupta, D., Attanasio, A., Reiter, R.J., eds. London: Brain Research Promotion
Lerchl, A., Nonaka, K.O., Reiter, R.J. Pineal gland: Its apparent magnetosensitivity to static magnetic fields is a consequence of induced electrical currents (eddy currents). J Pineal Res (in press)
Lerchl, A., Nonaka, K.O., Stokkan, K.-A., Reiter, R.J. (1991): Marked rapid alterations in nocturnal pineal serotonin metabolism in mice and rats exposed to weak intermittent magnetic fields. Biochim Biophys Res Commum 169: 102–108
Lewy, A., Sack, R., Miller, S., Hoban, T. (1987): Antidepressant and circadian phase-shifting effects of light. Science 235: 352–354
Lewy, A.J., Kern, H., Rosenthal, N.E., Wehr, T.A. (1982): Bright artificial light suppresses melatonin secreation in humans. Science 210: 1267–1269
Liboff, A.R. (1985): Cyclotron resonance in membrane transport. in: Interactions Between Electromagnetic Fields and Cells, Chiabrera, A., Nicolini, C., Schwan, H.P., eds. London: Plenum
Liboff, A.R., McLeod, B.R., Smith, S.D. (1990): Ion cyclotron resonance effects of ELF fields in biological systems. In: Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields: The Question of Cancer, Wilson, B.W., Stevens, R.G., Anderson, L.E., eds. Columbus, OH: Battelle Press
Maestroni, G.J.M., Conti, A., Pierpaoli, W. (1986): Role of the pineal gland in immunity: Circadian synthesis and release of melatonin modulates the antibody response and antagonizer immunosuppressive effect of corticosterone. J Neuroimmunol 13: 19–30
Mason, B.H., Holdaway, I.M., Mullins, P.R., Kay, R.G.. Skinner, S.J. (1985): Seasonal variation in breast cancer detection: Correlation with tumor progesterone receptor states. Breast Cancer Res Treat 5: 171–176
Matanoski, G., Elliott, E., Breysse, P. (1989): Cancer incidence in New York telephone workers. Poster presented at the Annual Department of Energy-Electric Power Research Institute Contractor’s Review, Portland, OR, November 15, 1989
Mendlewicz, J., Branchey, L., Weinberg, U., Branchey, M., Linkowski, P., Weitzman, E.D. (1980): The 24 hour patterns of plasma melatonin in depressed patients before and after treatment. Commun Psychopharmacol 1: 49–56
McIntyre, I.M., Norman, T.R., Burrows, G.D., et al. (1990): Melatonin supersensitivity to dim light in seasonal affective disorder. Lancet 335: 488
Moore-Ede, M.C., Sulzman, F.M., Fuller, C.A. (1985): The Clocks That Time Us: Physiology of the Circadian liming System. Cambridge: Harvard University Press
Nakatani, M., Ohara, Y., Katagiri, E., Nakano, K. (1940): (Original paper in Japanese) Studien uber die zirbellosen weiblichen weissen ratten. Nippon Byori Gakkai Kaishi 30: 232–236
Narita, T., Kudo, H. (1985): Effect of melatonin on B-16 melanoma growth in athymic mice. Cancer Res 45: 4175–4177
Olcese, J., Ruess, S., Semm, P. (1988): Geomagnetic field detection in rodents. Life Sci 42: 605–613
Papke, R.L., Podleski, T.R., Oswald, R.E. (1986): Effects of pineal factors on the action potentials of sympathetic neurons. Cell Mol Biol 6: 381–395
Perry, F.S., Reichmanis, M., Marino, A.A., Becker, R.O. (1981): Environmental power frequency magnetic fields and suicide. Health Phys 41: 267–277
Perry, F.S., Pearl, L. (1988) Power frequency magnetic fields and illness in multi-storey blocks. Public Health 102: 11–18
Philo, R., Berkowitz, A.S. (1988): Inhibition of Dunning tumor growth by melatonin. J Urol 139: 1099–1102
Polk, C., Postow, E. (1986): CRC Handbook of Biological Effects of ElectromagneticFields. Boca Raton: CRC Press
Regelson, W., Pierpaoli, W. (1987): Melatonin; a rediscovered anti-tumor hormone. Its relation to surface receptor sex steroid metabolism. Immunologic response and chronobiologic factors in tumor growth and therapy. Cancer Invest 5 (4): 379–385
Reichmanis, M., Perry, F.S., Marino, A.A., Becker, R.O. (1979): Relation between suicide and electromagnetic field of overhead power lines. Physiol Chem Phys 11: 395–403
Reiter, R.J., Anderson, L.E., Buschbom, R.L., Wilson, B.W. (1988): Reduction of the nocturnal rise in pineal melatonin levels in rats exposed to 60 Hz electric fields in utero and for 23 days after birth. Life Sci 42: 2203–2206
Rockwell, D.A., Hodggson, M.G., Beljan, J.R., Winget, C. (1976): Psychologic and psycho-physiologic response to 105 days of social isolation. Aviat Space Environ Med 47: 1087–1093
Rodin, A.E. (1963): The growth and spread of Walker 256 carcinoma in pinealectomized rats. Cancer Res 23: 1545
Savitz, D.A., Calle, E.E. (1987): Leukemia and occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields: Review and epidemiologic surveys. J Occup Med 29: 47–51
Savitz, D.A., John, E.M., Kleckner, R.C. (1990): Magnetic field exposure from electric appliances and childhood cancer. Am J Epidemiol 131: 763–73
Semm, P. (1983): Neurobiological investigations on the magnetic sensitivity of the pineal gland in rodents and pigeons. Comp Biochem Physiol 76: 683–689
Shah, P.N., Mhatre, M.C., Kothari, L.S. (1984): Effect of melatonin on mammary carcinogenesis in intact and pinealectomized rats in varying photoperiods. Cancer Res 44: 3403–3407
Stevens, R.G. (1987): Electric Power use and breast cancer, a hypothesis. Am J Epidemiol 125: 556–561
Su, T.-S., London, E.D., Jaffe, J.H. (1988): Steroid binding of J receptors suggests a link between endocrine, nervous and immune systems. Science 240: 219–231
Tamarkin, L.C., Roselle, D., Reichart, C., Lippman, M., Chabner, B. (1981): Melatonin inhibition and pinealectomy enhancement of 7, 12-dimethlbenz(a)anthrocene-induced mammary tumors in the rat. Cancer Res 41: 4432
Tamarkin, L., Danforth, D., Lichter, A., Demoss, E., Cohen, M., Chabner, B., Lippman, M. (1982): Decreased nocturnal plasma melatonin peak in patients with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Science 216: 1003–1005
Taub, J.M., Berger, R.J. (1974): Acute shifts in sleep wakefulness cycle: Effects on performance and mood. Psychosomat Med 36: 164–173
Tenforde T.S. (1990): Biological interactions and human health effects of extremely low frequency magnetic fields. In: Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields: The Question of Cancer, Wilson, B.W., Stevens, R.G., Anderson, L.E., eds. Columbus, OH: Battlle Press
Thériault, G. (1991): Health effects of electromagnetic radiation on workers: epidemiologic studies. Proc. Scientific Workwhop on the Health Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation on Workers. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. Jan. 30–31, 1991, Cincinnati, OH
Tynes, T., Andersen, A. (1990): Electromagnetic fields and male breast cancer. The Lancet 336: 1596
Vena, J.E., Graham, S., et al. (1990): Use of electric blankets and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer (abstract). Presented at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Society for Epidemiologic Research, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, UT, June 15, 1990
Wehr, T.A., Wertz, J.A., Goodwin, F.K., Duncan, W., Gillin, J.C. (1979): Phase-advance of circadian sleep-wake cycles as an anti-depressant. Science 206: 710–713
Welker, H.A., Semm, P., Willig, R.P., Commentz, J.C., Wiltschko, W., Vollrath, L. (1983): Effects of an artificial magnetic field on serotonin N-acetyltransferase activity and melatonin content on the rat pineal gland. Exp Brain Res 50: 426–432
Wilson, B.W. (1988): Chronic exposure to ELF fields may induce depression. Bioelectromagnetics 9: 195–205
Wilson, B.W., Chess, E.K., Anderson, L.E. (1986): 60 Hz electric field effects on pineal melatonin rhythms. Bioelectromagnetics 1: 239–242
Wilson, B.W., Anderson, L.E., Hilton, D.I., Phillips, R.D. (1981): Chronic exposure to 60-Hz electric field: Effects on pineal function in the rat. Bioelectromagnetics 2: 371–380
Wilson, B.W., Anderson, L.E., Hilton, D.I., Phillips, R.D. (1983): Errata Bioelectromagnetics 4: 293
Wilson, B.W., Stevens, R.G., Anderson, L.E. (1989): Neuroendocrine-mediated effects of electromagnetic field exposure: Possible role of the pineal gland. Life Sci 45: 1319–1332
Wilson, B.W., Wright, C.W., Morris, J.E., Buschbom, R.L., Brown D.P., Miller, D.L., Sommers-Flannigan, R., Anderson LE (1990): Evidence for an effect of ELF electromagnetic fields on human pineal gland function. J Pineal Res 9: 259–269
Wilson, M.A. (1990): Extremely low frequency electromagnetic field effects on short term memory. In: Proceedings of the 12th Annual Meeting of the Bioelectromagnetics Society, June 10–14, 1990, San Antonio, TX
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1992 Birkhäuser Boston
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Wilson, B.W., Stevens, R.G., Anderson, L.E. (1992). Effects of Electromagnetic Field Exposure on Neuroendocrine Function. In: Moore-Ede, M.C., Campbell, S.S., Reiter, R.J. (eds) Electromagnetic Fields and Circadian Rhythmicity. Circadian Factors in Human Health and Performance. Birkhäuser Boston. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-6799-4_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-6799-4_3
Publisher Name: Birkhäuser Boston
Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-6801-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-6799-4
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive